Animal shelters are urging people to think carefully before giving pets as a Christmas gift.

While it's not uncommon for parents to surprise their kids with a puppy or a kitten under the tree, problems can arise when pets are given to other households or unsuspecting recipients.

Sam Burnett, a volunteer with Heaven Can Wait Animal Rescue, says people don't always take into account the magnitude of the financial and time commitment it requires to add a pet to a family.

"Pets aren't a Christmas toy or something along those lines, it's a big decision. There's a lot of commitments to be made about love, attention, health care, veterinary care, food, there are costs associated."

In all scenarios where a pet may be entering the family, Burnett says it's important that every individual knows what they're in for.

"It's not that you can't get a pet around Christmas time, but it needs to be a family decision and it needs to be a decision that everybody's on board with. The last thing we want to see is an animal that's then returned to the shelter because it just didn't work.

"If you happen to have that commitment sorted out around the time of Christmas, that's great but definitely not good for Christmas presents to unsuspecting parties, that's for sure."